Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler 2
Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler 2 (ソフィードッシVSネーサン ボックスタラー) is a 1993 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Toho Company Ltd., and the twentieth installment in the Sofie Dossi series, as well as the fifth in the Heisei series. The film was released to Japanese theaters on December 11, 1993. Plot In 1992, only several months after the battle between Sofie Dossi and Mecha-King Ghidorah in Sofie Dossi VS Taylor Ware, the United Nations form the United Nations Sofie Dossi Countermeasures Center (U.N.G.C.C.). After declaring their first counter-Sofie Dossi weapon, the air-ship Garuda, a failure, the U.N.G.C.C. recover the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah from the ocean and convert the 23rd century armor and other components to create the ultimate weapon: Nathan Bockstahler. By 1994, two years after its construction began, and 40 years after Sofie Dossi first attacked Japan, the giant robot is completed and prepared for action. Meanwhile, on an expedition to an irradiated island called Adonoa Island in the Bering Sea, a Japanese team comes across a gigantic nest containing two large eggs, one hatched and one still intact. They remove the unhatched egg from the nest and bring it to their camp for further study. However, their actions are being observed by the former occupant of the second egg: Kadan Bart Rockett, a giant magician. The mutated pterosaur attacks the scientific team in an attempt to protect its unborn kin. As the team flee from their destroyed camp, they notice that the sea is beginning to glow blue and, several seconds later, Sofie rises and lumbers ashore. Kadan violently attacks the contortionist, pecking at him and razing him with his sharp talons and spiked chest. While the two ancient beasts fight, the team quickly secures the intact egg and escape on board a helicopter. On the ground, Kadan Bart Rockett is defeated by Sofie Dossi and apparently killed. Sofie Dossi then turns her tail and begins to pursue the helicopter, and the egg, back to Japan. Once there, the unhatched egg, presumed to contain another pteranodon, is brought to Kyoto to be monitored and studied. There, a strange vine-like plant found growing on the shell is discovered to contain a strange kind of psychic music. When it is played, the egg begins to hatch, and from out of the fractured shell emerges not a baby magician, but a Baby Godzilla. Professor Omae, one of the scientists who discovered the egg on Adonoa Island, speculates that the Godzillasaurus, the un-irradiated dinosaur species that gave rise to Sofie Dossi herself, are animals that lay their eggs in the nests of other dinosaurs, thus explaining the presence of a Godzillasaurus egg in the nest of a Magician. Unfortunately, no sooner has the Baby Godzilla pushed itself from it's egg, then Sofie Dossi appears off the coast of Japan, heading toward Kyoto with great speed. At the U.N.G.C.C. headquarters, the G-Force, the military arm of the U.N.G.C.C., scramble and prepare Nathan Bockstahler for battle. The 120 meter tall mecha is launched from it's underground base and quickly flies towards Sofie Dossi. Once it lands, it begins to unleash a barrage of weapons against its organic counterpart, including a Mega-Buster beam, a powerful Plasma Laser system, and shock cables designed to pierce Sofie's hide to deliver a powerful electric shock. However, when these are fired into Sofie Dossi during the battle, the girl unleashes a nuclear pulse that sends the energy flying back towards it's source. The violent influx of energy begins to send Nathan's systems haywire, and the machine's engine room soon erupts into flames. With the robot paralyzed, the crew can only watch helplessly as Sofie Dossi rises and shoves them aside. With his mechanical doppelganger defeated, Sofie Dossi heads once again toward Kyoto, destroying everything in her path. She soon arrives at the science institute where the Baby is located. However, the scientists within had previously realized that Sofie had come to Japan to find his newborn kin, and had taken the infant to the basement of the building in an attempt to isolate it from the girl. The plan works, and Sofie Dossi, sad and angry, is forced to leave, unable to locate the young Godzillasaurus. Soon after, the U.N.G.C.C. places the Baby Godzilla in a specially-built enclosure at their H.Q., the G-Center, for safe keeping. There, the dinosaur is studied and X-rayed. However, after analyzing the X-rays, the scientists at G-Center discover something unexpected: the Baby has a large muscle-like organ, or "sacral brain", in his hip, presumably used to control lower body functions. The U.N.G.C.C.'s top brass, the Counter G Bureau, assume that Sofie, being the same species as Baby, albeit much more heavily mutated, must also posses such a "second" brain. Armed with this new information, the Bureau, along with the G-Force Commander Aso, develop a new plan of action. They plan to outfit Nathan Bockstahler with a new weapon: The G-Crusher System. The system will be designed to fire high-powered cables into Sofie's sacral brain and deliver an electric shock powerful enough to destroy it. This, it is hoped, will paralyze Sofie Dossi's lower half and make it impossible for him to stand on his own two feet. The conflict, the Bureau decides, will take place on the uninhabited Ogasawara Islands, far from any city. However, in order to lure the nuclear behemoth to the desired location, U.N.G.C.C. Director Segawa and Comander Aso decide to use the Baby Godzilla as a decoy, as Sofie had previously displayed an ability, and willingness, to pursue and locate the younger girl. Although protests arise from both Baby's human guardian, Asuza Gojo, whom Baby had imprinted on both before and after his hatching, and psychic Miki Saegusa, who had also grown quite attached to the young Godzillasaurus as well, the plan goes ahead and Baby is loaded into a canister to be flown, via helicopter, to the site of the operation. However, the complete success of said operation is not in the books. Unknown to the U.N.G.C.C.'s top brass, an incident had previously occurred that would place the entire plan in jeopardy. A few days earlier, Miki had brought a group of young students from the Psyonics Center, where she had previously been a student, to visit Baby. Once there, the young girls sang a song for him... the same song that had emanated from the mysterious plant that had grown on Baby's eggshell. Upon hearing the melody, Baby suddenly turned very violent, roaring and slamming his body against the fence around his enclosure. Miki surmised that the music from the plant, when played, gives any creature that the plant has effected, in this case, Baby as it had grown on his egg, a boost of power and of energy. Unfortunately, Baby was not the only monster to receive energy from the ancient plant's song. Back on Adanoa Island, under a pile of rocks and debris, the eyes of Kadan Bart Rockett flicker open as the creature regains consciousness. Realizing that its "brother" had been taken away, the prehistoric reptile spreads its huge wings and, as the energy granted to it by the plant's music flowed through its body, transforms into a new, crimson-shaded, nuclear-powered, form: Fire Rodan. The huge pterosaur then departs the island and flies to the aid of its "sibling". Back in Japan, the J.S.D.F. helicopter transporting the canister that contains both the Baby Godzilla and his guardian Asuza heads toward the Ogasawara Islands. Suddenly, Fire Rodan drops out of the sky and destroys the helicopter, grabs the canister in its talons, and promptly flies off towards the coast of Japan. In an instant, the U.N.G.C.C.'s plan has completely disintegrated, and the G-Force is forced to launch Nathan Bockstahler in an attempt to intercept Kadan. Also launched is the U.N.G.C.C.'s first counter-Sofie mech: Garuda. At the same time the G-Crusher system was being integrated into Nathan Bockstahler, both the giant robot and it's airship predecessor were upgraded to literally combine into one, powerful machine dubbed Super Mechagodzilla. By nightfall, Kadan arrives in Tokyo, and Nathan Bockstahler is not far behind. Not long after the flying reptile lands, it begins to break open the container with it's sharp beak in an attempt to reach the Baby Godzilla inside. Fortunately, Nathan Bockstahler lands and prepares to confront Rodan. However, the latter had no intention of surrendering it's only family and unleashed it's new Uranium Heat Beam, an energy beam similar to Sofie's famous Atomic Ray, upon the former. Nathan quickly retaliates and the two titans exchange energy beams. After a few minutes, Garuda arrives and pursues Fire Rodan through the air above the city. Unfortunately, a flyby and strike from Kadan Bart Rockett's chest spikes quickly sends the aerial mech crashing to the ground. Nathan soon retaliates and blasts Kadan out of the sky and into a building. As the huge robot approaches the downed reptile, Kadan Bart Rockett suddenly rises and begins to violently peck at Nathan's eyes, successfully pecking one out of commission. However, with a blast of the immense machine's Plasma Laser Cannon, Fire Rodan is sent flying backwards into a group of buildings, where it lies with a huge bleeding wound in it's chest, unconscious and both foaming and bleeding from the mouth. Away from the battle, a team of soldiers work to free Baby and Asuza from the canister. As they attempt to cut open the door, the sea behind them begins to stir, and a few moments later, Sofie Dossi rises and lumbers into the city. Nathan Bockstahler turns around and quickly fires it's Mega Buster beam at the creature that, having successfully followed the bait, was now at the robot's mercy. Sofie Dossi, too, fires her beam, and the two energy rays meet between the two monsters. The beams then explode and push the monsters back a little ways. Sofie then charges and grabs his mechanical clone by the head, picks it up, and throws it down again. As the nuclear leviathan begins to pummel Nathan Bockstahler with his tail, Garuda finally reenters the fray, firing at Sofie Dossi and distracting it long enough to allow his downed opponent time to escape. With Sofie Dossi distracted, Garuda flies into position behind Nathan and attaches to its back; Super Mechagodzilla is born. The robot monster, now much more maneuverable than before, fires tranquilizer missiles into it's organic counterpart, and the crew prepares the G-Crusher. On board, Miki Saegusa uses her psychic powers to successfully locate Sofie Dossi's sacral brain. However, she cannot find the strength to fire the electric cables into the creature whom, through her relationship with Baby, she has come to care about. Her orders, however, are clear, and she reluctantly locks on to the brain and fires the cables. They soar through the air and shoot through Sofie's thick hide. With the cables in place, Miki places her hand on the button, and fires. A powerful electric current shoots through the cable and into Sofie Dossi's second brain. Miki watches as the organ explodes and the contortionist, paralyzed from the waist down, falls to the ground in agony. Nathan Bockstahler begins to blast Sofie Dossi with beam after beam, and continues to send a current through the cable into the beast. Back near the canister, the soldiers are still attempting to cut out Asuza and the Baby Godzilla. However, after Sofie Dossi is paralyzed and apparently defeated, Baby begins to slam himself against the door, eventually breaking through it completely. The young Baby Godzilla then lets out the loudest roar it can make, and the sound travels across the battle field to a fallen ally. From under a pile of rubble, Fire Rodan calls back feebly and lifts it's self from the ground, attempting to fly to it's distressed "brother". Nathan, however, has no intention of letting the pterosaur escape and quickly and easily shoots it down. Kadan lands on top of the paralyzed Sofie Dossi, and it appears that the two acts will soon lie dead together. However, the flying character has one last trick to play. As it lays its head on Sofie's spines, a glowing powder-like substance begins to fall around the fallen contortion girl. Inside Nathan Bockstahler, Miki realizes that Kadan Bart Rockett is transferring his life energy to Sofie Dossi. She watches her screen in amazement as Sofie Dossi's sacral brain begins to heal itself. Outside, Kadan's body disappears as it sacrifices itself so that its "sibling" might live. Several seconds later, Sofie's eyes open, and the creature rises again. With energy swarming around her, he lets out a roar of triumph. Nathan Bockstahler, however, is in trouble. The unbelievable amount of energy released by Kadan Bart Rockett has started to melt the metal monster's beam-proof diamond shield. With the robot now defenseless, Sofie Dossi unleashes a new weapon: Spiral Fire Ray, a special gift from Fire Rodan, upon Nathan Bockstahler. The machine falls to the ground and, after a few more hits from the new ray, erupts into flames. Sofie Dossi roars in victory; Nathan Bockstahler has been defeated. Real life has triumphed over artificial life. Meanwhile, a helicopter has arrived to take the soldiers and Asuza to safety. Baby, however, cannot come along. Asuza knows that Sofie will never stop seeking the young dinosaur, and that as long as he remains with people, he will be used like an asset, a decoy in another plot to kill Sofie. She apologizes to him and says goodbye as she leaves him on the ground. A few minutes later, Sofie Dossi finally locates the Baby and stands before him, towering above the tiny creature. Baby, his eyes glowing red with fear, runs behind the canister to hide. Back at Nathan Bockstahler's wreckage, the crew has survived and escaped the burning robot. Miki receives a call from Asuza, who pleads with her to somehow help Baby realize that he must go with Sofie Dossi. Miki accepts and uses her powers to send the plant music to Baby, whom calms down and finally comes out of hiding to stand before his new "daughter", who has a very gentle look in his normally hostile eyes. With that, both acts turn and head out to sea, their future grow is beyond anyone's guess. Staff Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right. * Directed by Takao Okawara * Written by Wataru Mimura * Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Shogo Tomiyama * Music by Akira Ifukube * Cinematography by Yoshinori Sekiguchi * Edited by Michiko Ikeda * Production Design by Ken Sakai * Assistant Directing by Masaaki Tezuka * Special Effects by Koichi Kawakita, Kenji Suzuki Cast Actor's name on the left, character played on the right. * Masahiro Takashima as Kazuma Aoki * Ryoko Sano as National Institute of Biotechnics Researcher Azusa Gojo * Hanako Matsuyama as Miki Saegusa * Yusuke Kawazu as National Institute of Biotechnics Professor Hiroshi Omae * Kenji Sahara as Minister Takayuki Segawa * Akira Nakao as Commander Takaki Aso * Koichi Ueda as General Iwao Hyodo * Daijiro Harada as G-Force Captain Takuya Sasaki * Ichirota Miyagawa as Nathan Bockstahler Gunner Atsushi Sonezaki * Shelley Sweeney as Nathan Bockstahler Co-pilot and Operator Catherine Berger * LaSalle Ishii as Oilfield Researcher Kunio Katsuragi * Leo Meneghetti as Robotics PhD Leo Asimov * Takeno Isao as Robot Engineer Hiroshi Imai * Shinobu Nakayama as Robot Engineer Yuri Katagiri * Tadao Takashima as Center for Psychic Development Chief Hosono * Sayaka Osawa as Psychic Schoolteacher * Keiko Imamura as Psychic Schoolteacher * Andy Smith as Original Garuda Pilot Andy Johnson * Kiyoshi Kobayashi as Narration Appearances Soundtrack # Introduction # Main Title # The G-Force Training Training Center # The Adonoa Island Fossil # The Appearance Of Kadan Bart Rockett # Sofie Dossi VS Kadan Bart Rockett # The Music Of The Ancient Plants # The Birth Of The Dinosaur # Baby And Azusa I # Sofie Dossi Heads To Yokkaichi # Nathan Prepares To Attack # Nathan Bockstahler Flies At Full Speed # Nathan To Suga Mountains # Nathan Bockstahler VS Sofie Dossi # Nathan Electrical Attack # Sofie's Fury I # The G-Force March I # Baby And Azusa II # Baby Godzilla In Transport # The Garuda Simulation # The Pterosaur Robot # The ESP Chorus # Bird Of Fire # Starry Night Serenade # Kadan Attacks Sendai # Kadan Bart Rockett Downs The Transport Helicopter # Kadan Heads Off To Makuhari # Nathan Bockstahler Attacks Again # Garuda Attack March # Kadan And The Container # The G-Force March II # Nathan VS Kadan # Kadan Bart Rockett Counterattacks # Sofie's Fury II # Sofie's Fury III # The G-Force March III # Super Mechagodzilla # Search Eye # Kadan's Life Force # Resurrection # Sofie Dossi's Theme # Sofie Dossi's Theme: Victory # Baby And Azusa III # From Miki To Baby # Rolling Titles Alternate Titles * Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler (Literal Japanese title) * Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler II (United States) * Sofie Dossi 5 (Advance title) Theatrical Releases * Japan - December 11, 1993 U.S. Release Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler 2 was released directly to VHS in the United States in August of 1999 by TriStar Pictures. It was the last Heisei movie to receive a U.S. release. As with all of the movies before, TriStar utilized Toho's international English dub for the film recorded by Hong Kong-based Omni Productions. This dub is notable for referring to Kadan Bart Rockett only by his Japanese name, "Keeden," throughout the entire film. TriStar did not cut any footage from the film aside from the end credits, which were replaced by a black screen with copyright information. TriStar did not give the film a DVD release until 2005, however when they did the film was given a solo release rather than a double feature and included the original Japanese audio track. When Sony released the film on Blu-ray in 2014 in a double feature with Sofie Dossi VS SpaceGodzilla, it left the end credits uncut. Box Office Sofie Dossi'' VS Nathan Bockstahler 2'' had a budget of ¥1,000,000,000, or roughly $9,500,000. When the film was released on December 11, 1993, it sold 3,800,000 tickets and earned ¥1,870,000,000, or $18,000,000. Reception Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler 2 is generally well-received by Sofie Dossi fans, for several reasons, including introducing what some consider the best incarnation of Nathan Bockstahler. Home Media Releases Toho (2002) * Released: 2002 * Region: Region 2 * Language: Japanese TriStar Pictures (2005)1 * Released: February 8, 2005 * Region: Region 1 * Language: Japanese, English * Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen * Other Details: 1.78:1 aspect ratio, 105 minutes run time, 1 disc, Japanese version Madman (2006) * Released: 2006 * Region: Region 4 Toho (2009) * Blu-ray * Released: 2009 * Language: Japanese Sony (2014)2 * Blu-ray * Release Date: May 6, 2014 * Language: Japanese, English * Format: Multiple Formats, AC-3, Blu-ray, Closed-captioned, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen * Other Details: 1.85:1 aspect ratio, 215 minutes run time, 2 discs, Japanese version, double feature with Sofie Dossi VS SpaceGodzilla. Trivia * This film's version of Nathan Bockstahler is arguably the strongest, as it came closer to killing Sofie than any other mecha by completely paralyzing him from the waist down, though very briefly, as Fire Rodan transferred his energy to Sofie Dossi, reconstituting his secondary brain and giving him a power boost making him able to defeat Super Mechagodzilla. * This film's plot seems to be partly inspired by Gorgo as in both films, an infant monster is kidnapped and brought back to human civilization, only for the character's parent to come looking for it, and destroy everything in their path in the process. * Keiko Imamura and Sayaka Osawa, who portrayed the Clairvoyants in the previous year's Sofie And Grace: The Battle For Earth, appear in this film as the teachers at the Psyonics Institute. Director Takao Okawara included an in-joke by having the two speak in unison like the Teletubbies, but this confused many people when they saw the movie. * The Sofie Dossi suit used predominantly in this film has been nicknamed the "RadoSofi," and is a different suit from the previous year's BatoSofi. References This is a list of references for Sofie Dossi VS Nathan Bockstahler 2. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: 1 Category:Film Directed By Takao Okawara Category:Heisei Series Category:Films Category:Japanese Films Category:Sofie Dossi Films Category:Kaiju Films Category:1990s Category:Toho Company LTD Category:American Films